Meteor spinning-wheel.



J. B. VAN DOREN'& M. BUTTE-R.

METEOR SPINNING WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 16. 1915.

Patented June 20, 1916.

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UNTTED STATES PATENT FTOE.

JOHN B. VAN DOREN AND MONTE BUTTER, OF HANOVER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOBS OF ONE-HALF TO THE NATIONAL FIR-EVVORKS DISTRIBUTING COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF ARIZONA.

METEOR SPINNING-WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June so, rare.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, J OI-IN B. VAN DOREN and MONTE BUTTER, both citizens of the United States, residing at Hanover, county of Plymouth, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Meteor Spinning-Wheels, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to fireworks and more particularly to that class of fireworks known as spinning wheels.

The object of this invention is to provide a holder whereby a luminiferous fireworksbearing member may be rapidly rotated and a simulation of the common pin or spinning wheel attained.

Another object of this invention is to provide a simple means for afiixing a fireworksbearing member to a holder in such manner that it may be easily attached and detached yet will be retentively held and not dislodged by centrifugal force generated by the whirling movement of the holder.

Other objects of the invention will more fully appear from the following description and the accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in the annexed claims.

A selected embodiment has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings and will now be described.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device holding a fireworks-bearing member; Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing manner in which the fireworks member is inserted in the device; Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing manner in which the stem is sprung over the shoulder of the device and thus retained; Fig. t is a. perspective of a modified form of this device.

In this selected embodiment the holder of the general configuration shown is preferably made of rigid wire. This holder comprises substantially a straight portion 1 which terminates at one end in the bent portion 2 which is adapted to be passed through a handle 3, by which means the holder is manually rotated. This end 4 is flattened and functions to retain the handle. The end portion of the holder opposite the handle 4: is offset and forms substantially a square letter U, havlng a base 5 and inner and outer upright arms 6 and 7, respectively. The base 5, in the construction shown, is preferably in the same planewith, and parallel to, the straight portion 1. The arm 7 has, adjacent its upper end and preferably slightly below the line of an imaginary continuation of the straight portion 1, an aperture 8. Further, this arm 7 is turned or twisted through a small angle, so that when another wire is inserted in the aperture 8 and projected across the offset or depressed body portion, the inserted wire will not be in alinement with the axis of the straight portion 2 of the holder. The fireworks member, usually employed in conjunction with this novel holder, is of the type known as a sparkler. In the form illustrated, it comprises a wire covered for the majorportion of its length with a combustible substance 9 giving off, when ignited, a steady luminous flow of meteoric sparks or auroral streamers. A handle or stem 10 is provided by the uncovered portion of the fireworks member shown. It is obvious, however, that the invention is not to be restricted to the use of any particular form of luminiferous substance, or fireworks-bearing member.

A slightly modified construction is shown in. Fig. 4, in which the upright arm 7 is not twisted, but its function is achieved by drilling the aperture 12 at an angle to the axis of the straight portion 1. In this figure are also shown the plurality of holes 13 which may be provided in the base 5. These holes are for the purpose of releasably securing similar fireworks-bearing members to the holder as, for example, by passing a stem through the apertures and bending it around the base 5.

The employment of this device is simple, safe and productive of results pleasing to the eye. The uncovered portion or stem 10 of the fireworks member is adapted to be inserted in the aperture 8, and, as stated, projected above and across the base 5. The end portion of the stem 10 is then pushed over the shoulder 11 and down the opposite side of the inner arm 6. The resistance of the rigid stem 10 against enforced deviation from the straight line induces tensional friction which functions as an effectual preventive of accidental dislodgment by the centrifugal force generated by the manually ally disposed member whirled holder. lVith the fireworks member thus retentively secured in the holder, the combustible substance is ignited, the handle 3 is grasped and the device rapidly whirled and the simulation of a meteor in rapid flight through an orbit of small diameter achieved.

It is to be understood that the construction disclosed herein is illustrative but not restrictive and that the same may be modified within the meaning and scope of the claims which follow. 7

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: l

l. A manually operable. fireworks supporting device comprising a handle, a radirotatably mounted therein, said member having an oilset portion adjacent its outer end and in parallelism to said member and means on said offset portion adapted detachably to retain a fireworks bearing member.

A manually operable fireworks supporting device comprising a handle, a radially disposed member rotatably mounted therein, said member being oilset adjacent its outer end and having an aperture in said offset portion, said member and said oflset being adapted cooperatively detachably to hold a fireworks bearing member.

A manually operable fireworks supporting device comprising a handle, a radially disposed member rotatably mounted therein, a U-shaped portion in said member, having an aperture adapted to receive and detachably to secure a fireworks bearing member. r i

4. A manually operable fireworks supporting device comprising ahandle, a radi ally disposed member rotatably .mounted Gopiel of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Washington, D. 0.

therein, a U-shaped portion on said member comprising a base section in parallelism with said member and two upright arms, the outer arm having an aperture therein at an angle to the plane of parallelism whereby a stem of a fireworks bearing member may be inserted in the aperture, cross said plane and impinge upon the side of the inner arm and said stem is retentively and detachably held.

5. A manually operable fireworks supporting device comprising a handle, a radially disposed member rota-ta'bly mounted therein, a U-shaped portion on saidmember comprising a base section in parallelism with said member and two upright arms, the outer arm being offset from the plane of parallelism and having an aperture therein adapted to receive the stem of a fireworks bearing member, said stein thereafter crossing said plane and impinging against the opposite side of the inner arm whereby said stem is detachably and retentively held.

6. A manually operable fireworks supporting device comprising a handle, a radially disposed member .rotatably mounted therein, a U-shaped'portion on said member comprising a base section and upright arms, the outer arm having an aperture therein adapted in cooperation with the inner arm to receive and detachably to retain a fireworks bearing member said base section having apertures therein adapted to receive and retain fireworks bearing members.

in testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN B. VAN DOREN. lJONTE BUTTER. lVitnesses GEORGE J. J. CLARK, GEORGE W. SEVERANCE.

Commissioner of Patents. 

